The decision of Congress led Punjab government to approve the purchase of more than 400 luxury ‘high-end’ vehicles for the CM, cabinet ministers and other government officials is estimated to cost more than Rs 80 crores, burning a hole in the state funds. Incidentally, the Punjab government is facing under a huge debt burden and revenue crunch at present. As reported by The Times Of India, the officials are currently denying any purchase order by the government of Punjab.

List of vehicles

According to the list that has been approved by the government, CM Captain Amarinder Singh will be provided with sixteen Land Cruisers, two of them being bulletproof considering his safety. Currently, eight Ambassadors and six Mitsubishi Monteros are available for use by the CM. Other than that, thirteen Mahindra Scorpios will be provided to the CM staff, and fourteen Dzire/Amaze/Ertiga will be allotted to the officers on special duty (OSD). The seventeen cabinet ministers will each be given a Toyota Fortuner or Toyota Crysta, replacing the existing Toyota Camry. Reportedly, ninety-seven Toyota Innova Crysta is to be bought for the MLAs, upgrading them from Toyota Innova. The Chief Secretary is also getting an automobile upgrade in the form of Toyota Fortuner.

As per sources many officers and MLAs have raised demands in the recent past for new vehicles citing that their current vehicles have become too old.

It is worth noting that Media Adviser to the CM, Raveen Thukral has dismissed the news saying, “Only the norms for vehicle entitlement had been approved and no purchase order had been issued”.

The problems faced

As soon as the news broke out there were uproars from the public and farmers alike focusing on the unnecessary monetary burden on the state’s resources. During the budget session in March 2018, it was pointed out by Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, that Punjab government is reeling under a humongous debt amounting to Rs 1,95,978 crore. During such a financial crisis, the government should be focusing on new strategies to curb the ongoing debt rather than adding to it.

Many farmer groups are opposing the decision of the government to approve the order of new vehicles. Representatives of Bhartiya Kisan Union have openly voiced that the current government needs to give more priority to problems faced by the common man rather than supporting the luxury lifestyle of ministers.

Partner Story

This Diwali Let Us Rebuild Schools To Secure A Better Future For The Country

We all have memories attached to our schools. Yes, obviously we do, otherwise, why would we be all excited for our school’s 10-year reunion? Because reunions are the time when we get to relive those juvenile memories and cherish the good old days.

The times we shared the same bench with our best friend and played tic tac toe on the desk. The times we took toilet breaks in the middle of a class only to secretly loiter around the corridors. The brilliant lunches we shared with our friends on the school playground during recess. Reminiscing over these memories warms our hearts.

Did you know that at least 35 million children between the age group of 6-14 do not attend school in India? There have been several reports that girls drop out of school because of a lack of basic facilities such as toilets. These children are not only missing out on basic education, but they are also missing out on those wonderful memories.

In a bid to make early education accessible to all, HIL Limitedhas taken a wonderful initiative. HIL Limited believe in the fact that when we do things together, better things happen, standing by their philosophy of ‘Together We Build’. In the film, you can see a small child Kamli. The naive child makes a colorful paper lantern for Diwali and gifts it to her school, which is in shambles. She is eager to learn and her adamant heart still gives her the hope that the colourful lantern might make her broken school a little brighter. After her Diwali holidays, when she comes back to her school and finds it prettier her heart rejoices.

HIL Limited believes that education is the right step towards bringing young minds together and creating a feeling of togetherness. Their social initiative has helped 75,000 children like Kamli by rebuilding their schools.

Now, these children would not miss out on basic education. They will also get to make beautiful memories that they will cherish for a very long time. This would also make their future stronger and more reliable. If you know any such school that needs attention, then please write to[email protected].

The Logical Indian appreciates HIL Limited for the wonderful initiative they have taken to make the future of so many underprivileged children better. Children are the future of the country and we hope that by making their future secure, we are taking our country forward.